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Target Zero Enforcement Team announced
The South Carolina Department of Public Safety (SCDPS) and the South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) has announced the launch of a 24-member Target Zero Enforcement Team. These troopers will work to reduce highway tragedies by focusing proactive enforcement on identified roadway corridors that are high-risk for traffic fatalities and serious injuries. Funding for the new 24-trooper unit is being provided by SCDOT.

The new team is a part of the SCDPS Target Zero mission - a multi-tiered plan to reduce and ultimately end traffic fatalities in South Carolina.

"This announcement represents another exciting step forward in eliminating deaths on our roadways," said SCDPS Director Leroy Smith. "We believe that the loss of even one life on our highways is unacceptable. We want every driver, every family in our state to take the pledge to make Target Zero their personal goal."

The Target Zero Team will focus on 16 corridors in the state. The 24 troopers will be divided into six teams of four troopers, focusing on those corridors. Their primary focus will be enforcement to combat three of the leading killers in South Carolina: DUI, speeding and failure to buckle up. The Target Zero Team will allow the South Carolina Highway Patrol to have a greater visibility on South Carolina roadways through roving patrols, public safety checkpoints, safety belt checks and nighttime safety belt enforcement.

"SCDOT is excited about this partnering opportunity with SCDPS," said Acting Secretary of Transportation Christy Hall. "We are confident that this program will have a positive, life-saving impact."

The sixteen (16) corridors of focus are:

I-26 in Lexington, Berkeley and Charleston counties;
U.S. 1 and S.C. 48 in Richland County;
U.S. 301 in Orangeburg County;
U.S. 17 in Charleston County;
Three segments of U.S. 17 in Horry County;
U.S. 501 in Horry County;
S-62 in Berkeley County;
U.S. 25, U.S. 276 and I-385 in Greenville County;
U.S. 28 in Anderson County.
The Target Zero message is also currently being spread through billboard and regional television campaigns, as well as through fatality counts on SCDOT's overhead roadway message signs. Law enforcement throughout the state will begin using Target Zero-themed citation holders to help traffic law violators understand the scope of the highway fatality issue.

So far this summer, 159 people have died on South Carolina roadways, compared to 149 this time last year. Total traffic fatalities are running ahead of last year at this time with 523 highway deaths compared to 444 in 2014.

In addition to the team, SCDPS and SCDOT announced the launch of a new Target Zero website, www.sctargetzeroplan.org, featuring the state's Strategic Highway Safety plan. The plan was recently completed by representatives from SCDPS, SCDOT, Federal Highway Administration and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHSTA). On www.sctargetzeroplan.org, users can view and share the plan in an interactive format, as well as take a pledge to do their part to eliminate traffic fatalities. The www.sctargetzeroplan.org website allows the public to share a personal pledge to end traffic fatalities with their friends on both Facebook and Twitter, using #TargetZeroSC.

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Sun, 02 Aug 2015 14:30
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Deputies: Garden City man arrested after firing gun during argument with son
Deputies said a Garden City man was arrested after shooting inside his own house during a quarrel with his teenage son.

On the morning of Saturday, Aug. 1, Georgetown County sheriff's deputies arrested Robert Maitland Rumph, 50, Pompano Drive, after they responded to a 911 call reporting gunshots.

According to a press release from the Georgetown County Sheriff's Office, deputies arrived at the Pompano Drive address at about 2:45 a.m. Saturday. Deputies said they spoke with Rumph's wife - who was not identified - who told them "an altercation" had taken place between Rumph and their teenage son. The wife told them that altercation ended, deputies said, when Rumph grabbed a handgun and fired shots inside the house.

Deputies added that there were four children inside the house when Rumph fired those shots.

In addition to the GCSO, Horry County Police Department and South Carolina Highway Patrol personnel responded to the house and set up a perimeter around it. Rumph was arrested, deputies said, after he tried to leave the house and enter one of his vehicles. Deputies said no one was injured.

Rumph was charged with one count of possessing a weapon during the commission of a violent crime, two counts of first-degree assault and battery, three counts of kidnapping, one count of discharging a firearm into a dwelling and four counts of unlawful conduct toward a child. He was taken to the Georgetown County Detention Center, where he was awaiting a bond hearing.

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From staff reports
Sun, 02 Aug 2015 09:04
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City receives $1M for stormwater repair
The City of Georgetown will soon be picking up a long-forgotten stormwater repair project, thanks to funds the city recently obtained through a community development block grant.

On July 6, the city was awarded $1 million in CDBG funds to complete stormwater repairs on parts of Congdon, Lynch, Highmarket and Duke streets in the historic district.

Georgetown City Council unanimously voted to accept the funds at its July 23 meeting.

"We've been working on this project for the last two years," City Engineer Jonathan Heald explained to the council at the meeting. "We tried last year and were not successful. We tried this year and identified this area as having issues with flooding. One of the issues is there's also a new housing development there, and we thought that would leverage our ability to get the... grant."

He said the project will cost an estimated $1.5 million in its entirety, but the city will work with a contractor to scale back the scope of work to fit the budget.

City Administrator Chris Carter clarified the grant was only for $750,000, and the city was awarded more than the maximum because of the total project cost estimate.

"We have a 10% match plus a match up to $100,000 over the $1 million that this project may cost," Carter said, "But we will try to scale the project back before we let it get there."

Carter said the project was originally identified as part of the U.S. 17 stormwater drainage project in 2011 that led to the development of sinkholes in that area.

'The grant says substantial progress has to be made within six months, so we are looking to hire quickly," he said.

The project will repair and replace the stormwater pipes, as well as some curbs and gutters contributing to flooding.

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tgriffith@southstrandnews.com
Sun, 02 Aug 2015 07:00
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Church mission week serves community
On July 24, members of the First Baptist Church Georgetown youth group took to the beach, but it wasn't for a day of fun.

Instead, the young people were handing out bottles of water to beach-goers as part of a church community mission week that spanned all generations of church members, from ages 6 to 90.

"We're here because we're on a mission of God," said John Bradham, a church member and student at Georgetown Middle School. "We feel like handing out this water is what God would do."

Ministry Support Leader Morgan Kelly leads youth worship at the church, and on July 24, he led the youth team across the beach on the south end of Pawleys Island.

"The reason we do this is to hopefully share the gospel through true blue evangelism ... and demonstrate the love of Christ to our community," Kelly said.

Kelly volunteered in other mission week events by mowing lawns, stocking pantries and power-washing driveways for people in need. He also helped out with a backyard Bible club, a program mixing gospel with games that took place in several community locations.

One of the clubs, held at Maryville Elementary School, hosted 18 kids who danced, played with water guns, slurped up ice pops, made arts and crafts and learned about the Bible. A volunteer, Children's Ministry Leader Staci Krause, said her work was more than a personal choice.

"I didn't choose," she said. "We're called to ... and I just love the kids."

Fourteen-year-old Ansley Powers also said she had been "called" to volunteer as she handed a water bottle to beach-goer Lisa Nelson.

"We've been called through our youth group and through God," Powers said.

"That's pretty awesome," Nelson said, after accepting the water.

The church also collected food for Helping Hands and the Friendship Place, two local programs that assist the needy in Georgetown County.

"We want to show there's still love in this world," Powers said.

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news@southstrandnews.com
Sat, 01 Aug 2015 05:01
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Debate over Andrews finances put at bay
Days of squabbling over finances for the Town of Andrews came to a stop - for now - after a heated, and often contentious, meeting that sometimes pitted councilmembers against the town's hired help.

In a special-called meeting held July 29, the town council voted to allow Chris Anderson to continue his work with the city's financial records - and to conduct any necessary investigation into any improprieties found. But the vote - held in a packed room of curious members of the public - grew heated quickly.

"This is a mess," said Councilwoman Patsy Greene, who directed accusations at Anderson, who owns Anderson & Anderson Accounting and Wealth Management firm and was hired July 9 to take over accounting duties for the town following the termination of Wanda Charping, a certified public accountant who still held the town's financial records until an Andrews police officer retrieved them from her last week.

In previous meetings, Andersonsaid he's found irregularities in the financial records that he could access. Mayor Rodney Giles had also been accused by some councilmembers of withholding the financial documents once they were retrieved from Charping.

Anderson said he believes as much as $75,000 could be missing from the town, but Greene pointed a finger at Anderson, saying he was the problem. Both Greene and the mayor had questioned Anderson's credentials, in particular that he is not a CPA.

"Ever since I've been doing my inspection, I've had oppositions from the mayor and certain councilmembers," Anderson said in a July 9 meeting. In the July 29 meeting, Anderson said he has reported his preliminary findings to a variety of law enforcement groups, including the State Ethics Commission, the town's auditor, the Municipal Association of South Carolina, the South Carolina Department of Administration, and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division.

Also during the meeting, Anderson and Councilwoman Sudha Patel asked for the books to be returned into Anderson's custody.

Greene expressed her disagreement by directing her comments to Anderson.

"We need a CPA to carry us through whatever we're going through, because this is a mess. ... People are being accused of stealing. ... I don't feel you should handle our books," she said.

Patel disagreed, saying, "We do not need a certified public accountant to do the work, the interim work, that Mr. Chris Anderson is doing. ... It seems unfair for Chris to be in the position to continuously verify his credentials because we knew of his credentials. We knew what we were doing and we voted on this, to welcome Chris, as our interim financial adviser.

"There's a vote, it's on record. So I don't understand this argument at all."

Town Attorney Eleazer Carter clarified that, legally, there is no requirement that the town's bookkeeper be a CPA.

Councilman Eddie Lee said he agreed with Patel.

"He did not make the mess now," Lee said. "He just discovered the mess. He's just like Christopher Columbus - he discovered it." His statement drew laughter from the crowd.

Patel then made a motion the council to return the accounting books to Anderson. Although Greene proposed an amendment to the motion that would have required Anderson's work with the books be supervised by a Municipal Association of South Carolina officia. The amendment did not pass.

The body also agreed it would like Charping to come before the group and explain any confusions or mistakes in her previous work for the town that Anderson may find.

Despite the vote, Greene continued to voice opposition and said, after mentioning accusations of stealing, that Anderson was the only person who had the books.

Anderson said he had asked that the investigation be kept private to avoid such accusations.

"When we initially began this investigation, I made it clear I wanted to keep this under lock and key," Anderson said. "I pleaded with council to keep this under lock and key because I knew something as silly as today would have occurred. The only person that has made themselves guilty are the individuals that have put themselves in the way, and that's been you, Ms. Greene. You have created such a hostile work environment that nobody here wants to work with you. And the fact of the matter is Ms. Greene - Mayor Greene, should I address you? - Mayor Greene, the fact of the matter is I came to do a job."

As the argument continued, and Giles tried to restore order to the meeting, both Anderson and Greene accused the other of being the problem.

The council also passed a motion, made by Patel, to retrieve the books from Melissa Moskow of Moskow Accounting. It was unclear during the meeting how the financials were temporarily in the custody of Moskow.

The books, Patel said, were needed by Anderson to complete this week's payroll on time. Anderson said that motion would allow him to "make sure we as a town fulfill our fiduciary responsibilities."

The motion passed, with only Greene voting in opposition.

"Chris, what do you need from council to help you succeed?" Patel asked.

"I ask that you would honor your municipal handbook," Anderson said.

He quoted a passage from the South Carolina Municipal Association's "Handbook for Municipal Officials in SC" that states, "Do not get involved in the day-to-day activities of the city if you have a city manager or other chief administrative officer. This is not your role. By doing so, you are bypassing the system. Remember, no one can answer to several 'bosses.' Governing bodies should stick to policy making."

"I'm asking that you honor your handbook because when I signed my engagement, my engagement said that I answer to Mauretta Dorsey directly. ... I would appreciate it if council would support me and allow me to answer to Mauretta and the mayor," Anderson said.

After an hour of arguments, the meeting adjourned with the understanding that the council would let Anderson complete his job.

Anderson said some of the work he will be completing, once given the financial books, is updating the documents with year-to-date information.

After closing out the fiscal year, which ended June 30, he must also submit reports to the Internal Revenue Service and the S.C. Department of Commerce.

Because those tasks have not been accomplished yet, the town is delinquent, he said, which can affect future opportunities, including the town's continued pursuit of grant money.

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tgriffith@southstrandnews.com
Fri, 31 Jul 2015 15:00
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City engineer resigns, cites 'hostile work environment'
The City of Georgetown is now without an engineer, after Jonathan Heald resigned from his position on July 30, citing a "hostile work environment" as the reason for his immediate resignation.

His letter of resignation, addressed to Mayor Jack Scoville, states, "Due to the persistent actions of Chris Carter, the city administrator, which have created a hostile work environment, I am forced to tender my resignation with the City of Georgetown. I believe that these actions are in some way a result of my disclosure to you of the administrator's racial bias on Aug. 14, 2014, when he used an inappropriate comment when referring to Richard Elliott, an enforcement officer with U.S. EPA Region 4."

Human Resources Manager Suzanne Abed-El-Latif and all of the Georgetown City Council members were also recipients of the letter.

Heald has worked for the city for two-and-a-half years.

He did not return calls and emails for comment on July 31. Carter and Abed-El-Latif could not be reached for comment.

In an Aug. 20, 2014, article published in The Georgetown Times, Heald called his role with the city a dream job.

"I came here because I saw a community that could really be something, that's really something special. I wanted to be a part of that. I like to be a part of something bigger, to help grow something," he said in 2014.

His letter expressed regret in leaving his position.

"It is unfortunate that I am compelled to end my time with Georgetown. It is a wonderful city with many resources and limitless potential. I wish nothing but the best for it," he wrote.

Gov. Nikki Haley traveled to Georgetown to address Goff among his hometown peers and award him with the Order of the Palmetto.

"He healed our state, and he will go down in history as being the person that really healed the country," Haley said.

"I say that to you, Georgetown, because you raised him. I have to thank you for whatever you did to raise that boy to be this amazing healer," she said.

The award was just one part of a dinner put on in honor of Goff on July 31 at the Beck Recreation Center.

Earlier in the day, Goff also had the opportunity to worship with fellow clergymembers, and recollect the old times with Howard High School alumni.

Goff was named the interim pastor at Emanuel AME Church after the June 17 shooting of nine parishioners inside the church. As the presiding elder of Mother Emanuel's district, he was put in charge of the wounded congregation.

See a full story on the July 31 event in Wednesday's Georgetown Times.

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Fri, 31 Jul 2015 17:34
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Online school graduate looking to future
Katlyn Bunch of Georgetown is a recent high school graduate, but she didn't attend a traditional high school — she attended a virtual high school.

Katlyn is one of 4,470 students in South Carolina and about 50 in Georgetown County who opted for online education through South Carolina Corrections Academy instead of dealing with late bells, congested hallways, bullies and school bus rides.

"I loved being part of this school and now that I've graduated, I really miss it," she said. "I definitely recommend it for people looking for alternatives to the regular public school system."

Katlyn, who was named Student of the Year for SCCA, began her online schooling in seventh grade after attending Maryville Elementary and one year at Georgetown Middle School. For the online high school, she took many honors and advanced placement classes and served as vice president of the school's National Honor Society.

Katlyn received an academic scholarship from Charleston Southern University and will enter the school this fall as an English major and art minor. Her hope is to pursue a career as an author or script writer, she said.

The SCCA is an accredited, full-time, tuition-free virtual public charter school serving students in grades K-12 across South Carolina. It gives students the flexibility to learn at home with a curriculum that meets rigorous state education standards, said Josh Kitchens, high school principal for the SCCA.

He explained that the biggest difference between online education and traditional home schooling is that students benefit from one-on-one interaction with qualified teachers for each class.

According to the SCCA website: "The teachers are the foundation of the South Carolina Connections Academy experience. They are talented, passionate, certified, and specially trained to excel in online teaching."

Kitchens said the pace of learning can vary also for each student.

"Some students need a slower pace and some need a faster pace," Kitchens said. "The SCCA works at a pace for them and learning is individualized."

He said students can participate in live lessons with other students in an online classroom and they can go to chat pods to speak with their peers and their teacher.

"There are also in-person events like field trips, meet-and-greets and a winter art festival," Kitchens said. "They have a variety of learning experiences to interact together and learn together."

Students are able to join clubs like robotics or environmental science, some meeting online and some meeting in person, he said.

"We have several clubs that connect schools across the country," Kitchens said. "There is a club for any interest."

Students in high school can play sports and even attend prom. Katlyn attended her prom, held in Rock Hill, this year.

"It was a great prom with more than 120 people in a rented ballroom," Katlyn said. "There was a masquerade ball theme. I got to see several kids I'd met before and also met some people I hadn't met before and made new friends."

Another aspect of the SCCA is having a learning coach, usually a parent or caregiver, at home, who monitors day-to-day work of students.

"Teachers have a great deal of communication with the learning coach so he or she has all the information to make a decision about the student's learning," Kitchens said.

Katlyn's mother, Karen Bunch, is her learning coach and also serves as learning coach for Katlyn's younger sister, Kasey, 16. Karen said her responsibilities as learning coach vary.

"When Katlyn first started with the school in seventh grade, I would help her by talking about how to get answers," she said.

"If I didn't know something, the teacher was available by email, phone or in a chat room. There are a lot of ways to make contact with the teacher."

She said as Katlyn moved into high school, she worked more with Katlyn on time management.

"There is no set time for school to start, so my role was to ask her what she is working on and how she is managing her time," Karen said. "At the end of the day, I would mark her hours. She needed to be spending 30 hours per week on school lessons."

She said she liked how easy it was to see her daughter's work and how she was doing in each class.

"You can check the grade book and keep up with assignments online," Karen said. "You can use the learning management calendar, which helps keep track of what work needs to be done."

Karen said she and Katlyn's father, Thomas Bunch, are proud of Katlyn for graduating from SCCA and going on to college next year.

"It has been a very positive experience, allowing her to receive a good education in a safe environment," Karen said. "That means so much to us."

Kitchens said he knows Katlyn's future will be bright.

"She has been an outstanding student in all areas," he said. "I know she will do great things in the next steps in her life."

Graduated from Yale University, Columbia University Dental School and Boston University Orthodontics School

Practiced general dentistry for seven years and orthodontics for 20 years, practiced in Enfield, Connecticut and Long Meadow, Massachusetts

What do you do for St. Christopher's Children?

I'm on the board of directors and serve as the medical review services director. My specific responsibility is to evaluate children in the Georgetown County school system who apply for orthodontics care through the school nurse.

Students have to be on Medicaid because the state of South Carolina doesn't pay for orthodontics treatment. I get a copy of the applications, see the children and evaluate the severity.

I keep a record of all the kids I see and prioritize who needs treatment the most.

Then local orthodontists provide the services required at a reduced cost.

What do you like about volunteering for St. Christopher's Children?

I love it because I see what we do for these kids. I visit the nurse's office and kids come in with needs and problems and it is heart breaking.

I have a wonderful feeling knowing we are helping these children. I have the advantage of seeing these children and not everybody does.

Founder Bob Pelletier started St. Christopher's Children after seeing a child in the middle of winter with flip flops and no jacket. He said this kid needs help. There are lots of kids out there who need help.

What should people know about St. Christopher's Children?

We are a nonprofit organization and our mission statement is to help kids when no one else is there. We help provide kids with clothing and orthodontics care primarily.

I think people should know about the resale store beside Applewood Pancake House in the Litchfield community. It is a beautiful store with upscale items and all proceeds go to St. Christopher's Children.

It is also a great source of donations. All clothing and jewelry in the store are all donated.

We do purchase clothing for children, given specific needs.

Do you volunteer with other organizations?

I am involved with Precious Blood of Christ Catholic Church in Pawleys Island.

My wife and I are volunteers for a weekly Saturday morning breakfast for needy people in the Pawleys Island area. It is called Father Pat's Kitchen.

We do that every week and we are involved with other things in the church. We are Eucharistic ministers, serving communion to people at masses.

Talk about your family.

My wife, Jeanne, is a retired psychotherapist. We have four grown children.

Michael lives in Boulder, Colorado, and is a vice president of sales with a social media company. He is married with three children.

Mark lives in Germantown, Maryland, and is a software developer. He is married with two children.

Jennifer is a yoga instructor in Amherst, Massachusetts. She is married with two children.

Jodi lives in Springfield, Massachusetts, and is a clinical social worker at a hospital. She primarily works with children.

We also have one great-grandchild on the way, most likely arriving at the end of August.

Renee Williamson, the nonprofit group's executive director, said the board has not decided whether the clean-up events will be held weekly or monthly.

"Originally the board decided to do them weekly, but it depends on how many volunteers we get," she said.

A long-time volunteer, Ralph Preston, has stepped up to lead the volunteers for the events, Williamson said.

"Ralph said we would have to have a large data base of volunteers to do weekly clean-ups," she said, adding that the events could start as soon as August.

"We are thinking about rotating it around each time, so one time it could be at Morse Park, then the next time along the river and boat landing," Williamson said.

MI2020 will still organize its annual cleanup events, Spring Tide, Fall Haul and July 4, she said.

The weekly or monthly clean-up events are in response to suggestions made in an online survey. At a special meeting July 14, the group decided to first pursue suggested projects that can be done immediately, like providing more trash cleanup events, investigating options for communitywide recycling, and providing more guidance for volunteers.

"This is one of the things we are trying to implement immediately," Williamson said.

Anyone interested in learning more about these events or to volunteer should email at the MI2020 office at info@murrellsinletsc.com.

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cstairs@southstrandnews.com
Fri, 31 Jul 2015 16:54
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Salkehatchie campers repair area homes
Rudolph "Tank" Brown was born in the house he has called home for 51 years, but his Murrells Inlet residence had fallen on some hard times.

It seemed that every time Brown tried to restore the home, something interfered.

Nothing stood in the way the week of July 18 as a crew of about 10 to 15 people descended on the one-story frame building off Wachesaw Road, sawing, scraping old paint and replacing it with fresh, fixing roof leaks, laying floor covering and looking around for more repairs.

The visiting workers were among the participants in Salkehatchie Creekfront at Belin Memorial United Methodist Church, one of nearly 50 week-long camps sponsored by the South Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church.

In some ways, Salkehatchie is a similar to other summer camps for high school and college-age students, 14 to 19. There's dormitory sleeping, opportunities to meet people from all over the state with similar interests, communal meals and scheduled activities crammed into the day.

But Salkehatchie is distinctive. Instead of swimming, boating and arts and crafts, Salkehatchie campers renovate houses. More than 60 campers and their leaders took part in Belin's program, up from the 41 who participated in the church's inaugural effort last year. The campers worked on three homes a year ago; this year they had five.

Salkehatchie participants come from as far away as Goldsboro, North Carolina, working hard to make the homes chosen to be worked on "warmer, safer and drier," said Debbie Leonard, the chairwoman of Salkehatchie Creekfront, which ended July 25.

Only one of the houses Leonard and her crew selected to be worked on this year had central heat and air conditioning. All were in need of some tender-loving care.

The campers provide the TLC, and the host community brings in meals and the host church offers dormitory-type living space for the week-long camp.

Leonard in some ways is typical of the Salkehatchie participants. She got hooked after she volunteered as a youth leader when she accompanied a group from Belin five years ago to a camp in Summerville.

"I have no construction skills," she said, "but that's not required." Her skills are in organization, and two members of her steering committee are contractors. Another is a nurse.

Participants in Salkehatchie pay a fee, but, Leonard said, most of the $230 goes to materials - siding, floor coverings, paint, glass, wood - whatever Leonard and her committee can't get donated. Much of the material comes deeply discounted.

Some of the volunteers who worked on Brown's house were well-versed in not only construction but in Salkehatchie, as well. Sadie Hagins, 21, who's in college to become a vet tech, has been involved in the ministry officially since she turned 14, but, her father, David, said she's been involved for much longer. Her mother, Susan, carried her in the womb to more than one camp.

Sadie said she's comfortable with roofing, siding and "even knocking down a chimney."

"This is family. This is a little bit of God coming in each of us," said Sadie, as she deftly unrolled flooring and cut it to fit in Brown's home. The campers fixed leaks in the roof, gave the outside a new paint job, and updated the bathroom to include a linen closet and new shower fixtures.

"It's just a blessing," said Brown, who works part-time driving a school bus and coaching football and basketball, watching the activity going on around him while painting the window frames.

He smiles as he tells the campers about his own background, how he played professional basketball in Europe, winning a championship ring. When pressed, he goes inside and brings out the ring. Work stops as the campers admire it. Then it's Brown's time to admire the campers' work. Already the bond between campers and homeowners is forming.

"That's what makes this special," Leonard said. "This is a special ministry, and we see miracles every day."

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new@southstrandnews.com
Fri, 31 Jul 2015 16:53
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Sokoloski column: Eat, drink and play ball
You may have noticed that the sports page in the July 31 edition of The Georgetown Times was not in its usual spot on the front of the second section of the newspaper.

July 31 marked the debut of Eat&Drink, a new food page with local stories and photographs from the South Strand News staff, including yours truly. (Now food joins sports, council and feature as a description of the kind of writer I am.)

I've always been a carnivore. Give me a good steak or cheeseburger, and an order of French fries as a vegetable.

When I go to a ballpark, I like a hotdog, and maybe a soft pretzel with mustard.

I'm apparently not alone, as it is estimated that Americans eat about 20 billion hot dogs per year.

But serving hotdogs is not enough at the ballpark anymore.

USA Today recently had a story about some new stadium offerings for 2015.

Here are some of the more unusual items:

ΓΆβ‚¬ΒΆ The "Big Mother Funnel Burger" served by the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers. A bacon cheeseburger between two funnel cakes.

ΓΆβ‚¬ΒΆ The "Sweenie Donut Dog" served by the Wilmington Blue Rocks. A hot dog topped with raspberry jam and bacon and served on a Krispy Kreme doughnut.

ΓΆβ‚¬ΒΆ The "Heart Attack Burger" served by the Kane County Cougars. A burger topped with grilled onions, a fried egg, cheddar cheese, chipotle bacon mayo and bacon between two grilled cheese sandwiches.

ΓΆβ‚¬ΒΆ "The Thomenator" served by the Cleveland Indians. Named for retired slugger Jim Thome, it's an oversized hot dog topped with diced onions, sauerkraut and three pierogis.

The next time I'm in Philly, I may have to try "The Schmitter," which is named after my all-time favorite ballplayer, Mike Schmidt (legend, Hall of Famer). It is grilled steak and salami with fried onions, tomatoes, "special sauce," and gobs of gooey cheese.

Yummy?

Chris Sokoloski is always looking for ideas for stories or to include in her column. She can be reached at csokoloski@southstrandnews.com.

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Fri, 31 Jul 2015 12:25
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Lane man guilty of manslaughter
A jury found Terry Williams of Lane guilty of voluntary manslaughter and possession of a firearm during a violent crime in the 2013 shooting death of Larry Moore, Jr. The three-day trial began on July 28, and was held at the Williamsburg County Courthouse with Judge R. Knox McMahan presiding.

The jurors deliberated less than two hours before reaching the verdict. They also found Williams guilty of aggravated assault and battery in connection to an injury to his wife Reva McFadden, from whom he was separated at the time of the incident.

The shooting took place on November 10, 2013 at a club in Greeleyville. Testimony at trial indicated Williams shot at Moore seven times with an AK47, and that Moore sustained five gunshot wounds. The weapon was never recovered. The only known eyewitness to the shooting was Williams' wife, who was also shot in the foot at the time Moore was killed.

Williams was originally charged with murder, and faced a possible life sentence. He was sentenced to 30 years on the manslaughter charge, 20 years on the aggravated assault charge and 5 years on the weapon charge. All sentences will run concurrently. Williams' attorney, Shaun C. Kent of Kent Law Firm in Manning, requested a new trial but the judge denied his request. Kent said they will file post-trial motions.

During this event, parents had the opportunity to gain a better understanding of the program through presentations and heartfelt speeches.

The Summer Academy is a program of The Village Group, a Georgetown County-based nonprofit dedicated to making positive changes in the community.

The keynote speaker at Parents Observance Day was Brantay Cohens, a Carvers Bay High School graduate now teaching at Horry County's Ocean Day Middle School.

The faculty shared what they've accomplished during this seven-week program, including an impressive rise in academic percentages based on pre- and post-testing assessments, along with overall academic progress. The speeches touched on the importance of Plantersville Summer Academy and the dedication and passion people involved with the program have for teaching and furthering the understanding and ability of students.

Throughout the course of the program, students were able to study subjects such as math, English, social studies, and science, as well as art and physical education - a well-rounded educational curriculum.

Apart from learning, the audience was able to enjoy music and dance performances, along with viewing photos of their children enjoying educational field trips. Students were also recognized for their accomplishments during an awards ceremony. Certificates were given to students based on their performances in English, math and "Most Improved," along with their efforts in civics, writing, and a comprehensive computer program.

For more information about The Village Group and its mission check our web page at www.thevillagegroup.org email us at thevillagegroup@frontier.com

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From staff reports
Fri, 31 Jul 2015 13:26
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GHS football and golf teams hosting golf fundraiser
The Georgetown High School football and golf teams are co-sponsoring a golf tournament next month to raise money to buy needed equipment.

The tournament will be Aug. 29 at Wedgefield PLantation in Georgetown.

The day begins with a shotgun start at 9 a.m.

Cost is $75 per player or $225 per four-person team and includes greens fee, cart rental, breakfast, lunch and one mulligan.

Organizers are also looking for sponsors and donations.

For more information go to kcagle1.wix.com/golftournament or contact Stephen Hatchell at Shatchell@gcsd.k12.sc.us or Kelly Cagle at kcagle1@msn.com.

You can also get tournament information on Facebook at GHS Golf and Football Booster Club Tournament.

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From staff results
Fri, 31 Jul 2015 12:26
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GHS tennis hosting tryouts and annnual social
Tryouts for the Georgetown High School tennis team will take place Aug. 12 and 13 at 5:30 p.m. at East Bay Park in Georgetown.

Girls in seventh to 12th grades at Georgetown Middle or Georgetown High schools who have a valid physical on file are welcome to participate.

The tennis program is also hosting its 10th annual social on Aug. 22 at 11 a.m. at South Island Park.

Community members are welcome to stop by and meet team members, enjoy a meal and have a chance to win door prizes.

For more information on tryouts or the social, email Coach Grace George at ggeorge@gcsd.k12.sc.us.

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From staff reports
Fri, 31 Jul 2015 12:25
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Drug-detection dog Liza begins career with Georgetown PD
The newest addition to the Georgetown Police Department has a specialized skill set and extensive training, but she's still waiting on her first collar.

On July 6, the GPD welcomed Liza — a 2-year-old pure-bred German Shepherd — into the fold to serve as the department's drug-detection K9 unit.

The department had gone without a drug-detection dog for more than three years. According to Chief Paul Gardner, that was too long.

"It was a real void for us that we felt we needed to fill," Gardner said. "So we did our research on the best place to obtain dogs and where people were obtaining dogs from in our neighboring police departments."

That research led the GPD to Southern Coast K9 Inc., a company that acquires dogs from across the world and trains them for law enforcement purposes. Gardner said Liza was procured from Southern Coast K9 for $7,500, which was paid for out of the GPD's budget.

Before Liza was selected as the department's new drug-detection dog, however, the GPD conducted in-house interviews to determine who would serve as its new K9 officer. At the conclusion of that process, the department selected Officer Bert Powell, who had previous experience with bloodhound tracking units at the Florence County Sheriff's Office, to serve as that officer.

Powell then traveled to New Smyrna Beach to the Southern Coast K9 training center, where he participated in K9 training exercises.

"They would place what they call aids — the drugs the dogs are trained to find — ... in different rooms in the training center or at some abandoned office buildings," Powell said. "(The K9s) are trained to give a passive alert, where they'll sit and stare at the source."

It was during that training that Powell began working with Liza, as well as another K9 unit. Powell said it wasn't long into the training process when he decided Liza would be the best dog for the GPD.

"The other dog was a great dog," Powell said. "But when Liza would alert me to where an aid was, she would sit just a little bit closer. That's why I chose her."

Over the next three weeks, he and Liza trained eight hours a day, Monday through Friday, to hone their rapport and practice their detection skills. On July 3, Powell returned to Georgetown with Liza and welcomed her into his home.

While Liza may be a highly trained K9, at home, Powell said, she's a run-of-the-mill dog who enjoys playing and receiving attention.

"When she gets home, she's very friendly," he said. "She gets along well with my kids. My wife has a little puppy Jack Russell (terrier) and they'll play and chase each other around the house. She's a very mild-mannered dog."

Though mild-mannered, Powell said Liza has been trained to detect the odors of marijuana, cocaine, crack cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine and MDMA (ecstasy), among others. Although Liza has extensive drug-detection training, Powell added she has yet to exercise it.

"She hasn't got a lot (of calls) so far," he said. "For every car we've put her on ... either we've already got the drugs out of it or there was nothing in it."

A celebration of life service for William Roland Kirby, Sr. will be held at 1:00 PM, Saturday, August 1, 2015 in The Family Life Center, First Presbyterian Church (corner of Washington St. and Bull St.), Columbia, S.C. of conducted by the Rev. Craig Wilkes. Burial in the church cemetery will immediately follow the service. The family will greet friends in Jackson Hall after the burial. Dunbar Funeral Home, Devine Street Chapel, is assisting the family.

Mr. Kirby passed away suddenly and unexpectedly July 25, 2015 from a tragic automobile-truck accident. Born September 20, 1944, in Charleston S.C., he was the son of Thomas Roland Kirby and Mary Claytor McKinnon Kirby. The family moved to Mary's ancestral home in Horrell Hill in 1947. Bill has continued to live at Horrell Hill other than a brief time in Atlanta, Georgia.

He graduated from Lower Richland High School in 1962, from Wingate College in 1965 and from Richland Technical College in 1967. In 1967 he began a long career with Southern Bell in the Engineering Department, retiring in 2003. During his years at Southern Bell he received numerous awards and citations for his contributions to advancement of technology.

In 1968, he answered the call to serve his country as a volunteer for the U.S. Army in the Vietnam War and was honorably discharged in 1969. Bill had a deep passion for patriotism to his country and was proud that he had been a part of the military.

Bill was married to Camille Parrish, December 1967. They would have celebrated 48 years of marriage this December. He was a loving and caring person to his parents, Camille, his children, grandchildren, cousins and friends, ever ready to give advice and assist with projects related to building or electronics. All who knew Bill considered him to be an honorable and humble man.

As a member of First Presbyterian Church, Columbia, he cherished the fellowship and Gospel-related teaching in the worship services and Sunday School classes. He enjoyed being involved in the Horrell Hill Supper Club, fishing and boating. One of his most enjoyable accomplishments was building a second home on the Black River in Georgetown, S.C. where he spent many fun times with family and friends.

In addition to his wife, Camille, Bill is survived by his son, William Roland "Billy" Kirby, Jr. (Lezlee) of Lexington, S.C.; daughter, Katherine Senter (Todd) of Advance, N.C.; grandchildren, Mary Alice and Elizabeth Kirby, Coleman Senter; and many loving cousins and friends. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him.

Memorials may be made to First Presbyterian Church, 1324 Marion St., Columbia, SC 29201; The Pediatric Congenital Heart Association, 14 Ellis Potter Ct. Suite 100, Madison, WI 53711; or The Juvenile Diabetes Research Fdn., 1122 Lady St. Suite 1000, Columbia, SC 29201. Donations to the latter two may also be made on their websites.